The Chosen Padawan
by CrazyTenor42
Summary: Ahsoka Tano wouldn't trade being Anakin Skywalker's Padawan for anything in the world. He hasn't met the Council's expectations of him. He is the Chosen One who still hasn't brought balance to the Force. How was he supposed to train and be entrusted with a Padawan? Anakin has a moment of self-doubt. But dysfunctional or not, Ahsoka knows she and Anakin still make a great pair.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first time writing an Anakin and Ahsoka piece. For tumblr user:itsneveranat-at.

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Anakin Skywalker was a freak. A nine year old boy, brought to the Jedi Temple in a shroud of rumors. The Council thought he was the Chosen One, spoken about in the prophecy's of old. He was going to be allowed to be a Jedi, even though he was far too old. He was going to be trained by Obi-Wan Kenobi, the man who was now a legend for killing a Sith. The other Padawans resented him. Skywalker was too old to be trained. He could remember a home and a family away from the Temple. That had never been heard of. And yet he had gotten a Master while some of them were still waiting to be chosen. Why was he so special? Why was Anakin Skywalker so much better?

He wasn't better than the rest of them. He wasn't perfect. He got himself captured, tortured, he wasn't always successful during missions. He had lost his hand to a Sith Lord. He had gotten scarred by Asajji Ventress. He was every bit as human as the rest of them, maybe even more so. Wasn't he supposed to be better than them? He was the Chosen One. He was supposed to make less mistakes, not more.

Anakin Skywalker knew better. He was not "Chosen", he was picked. Qui-Gon Jinn picked him, Obi-Wan Kenobi picked him, and the Council picked him. He wasn't so special. Just lucky. He didn't ask to be the Chosen One. He didn't ask to be taken off Tatooine. He never asked to be trained by Obi-Wan. He didn't ask be given a Padawan.

Anakin Skywalker had no idea what to do with Ahsoka Tano. He didn't want a Padawan, not that the Council cared. They felt Ahsoka would somehow make him less reckless, more mature, and take more responsibility for the young woman in her charge.

"And how well has that been working?" Anakin muttered angrily, tearing open another package of some type of sweetcake and then pouring himself another shot of Old Janx Spirit. It was becoming his nighttime ritual, a cure for his insomnia. He tried meditation, he tried wandering the halls, even bothering Obi-Wan at some point. Nothing helped because his mind was still active, still thinking and blaming.

He fell into this pattern instead. Once Ahsoka was asleep, he sent a Force-suggestion in the general direction of her room so he could sit undisturbed. Eating and drinking until the alcohol and sugar overload sent him into somewhat of a slumber. At least the food and drink took the edge off. The alcohol numbed his mind while the sugar kept his mouth occupied, the constant chewing giving him an easy pattern to fall into. It kept him away from the overwhelming guilt.

Why did he end up with a Padawan? He couldn't handle her. He could barely keep himself in control (and the wrappers and bottles hidden in his kitchen suggested that "barely" was being generous.) She deserved a Master much more in control. Why not give her to Obi-Wan? Anakin knew nothing of how to deal with younger children, never mind teach. It was unfair to do to Ahsoka. It was even worse because – even though she had never voiced it – Anakin knew she felt the same way he had. _My Master didn't pick me. My Master didn't want a Padawan. _

He knew what the Padawans had said about him when he was a youngling: _He doesn't belong in the Temple. He isn't good enough to be a Jedi. He doesn't fit in with us. His Master didn't even want him. He's no Chosen One. _ There were still members of the Council who think he should be living in a hut on Tatooine.

And now they were saying the same about Ahsoka. He had heard the whisperings of the other Masters. She was made a Padawan too soon. She was too young, too reckless. Anakin speared the last piece of cake angrily with his fork, shoving it into his mouth and then following it down with the last dregs of his glass. "Exactly like I was as a Padawan." Only h deserved everything that happened to him. The only thing Ahsoka was guilty of was being paired with Anakin.


	2. Chapter 2

Ahsoka Tano was every bit of a freak as Anakin. She just didn't suffer under the burden of being called the Chosen One. Ahsoka knew she was different. She knew it was a rare honor to be Anakin Skywalker's apprentice. She heard what the others said about her, but she could have cared less. Chosen One or not, Anakin Skywalker was her Master.

She didn't mind what they called her. She was feisty. She did have an attitude. And personally, she was thankful she was given to Anakin because she doubted if any other Master would want to put up with her. She had been told numerous times by Master Kenobi she was exactly like Anakin when he was younger. She decided that was more of a compliment than an insult. Her Master was a great Jedi and a great Man. Ahsoka Tano was Anakin Skywalker's Padawan and it was a duty and a pleasure to serve with him, learn from him, and protect him.

The protecting bit was getting harder and harder though, Ahsoka sighed, walking into their quarters to find Anakin slumped over the table again. She silently swore. This was turning into a weekly routine. Ahsoka had no idea how long he had been doing this before she had noticed. She had gotten better at avoiding his sleep suggestions now, creating a resistant barrier across their bond. She had thought she had found and trashed all his secret stores of liquor and sweets. Apparently she had missed something.

"Master, this really isn't healthy."

Anakin looked up at her and blinked in confusion. "Snips, you're supposed to be asleep."

"I was out with Bariss."

"You should be in bed."

"As should you."

He glared angrily at her. "Ahsoka, I am your Master, you will do well to remember that."

His tone almost frightened her. _Almost. _She knew Anakin well enough to know it took much more than half a bottle to get him drunk to the point of being dangerous. He hardly even slurred. She hadn't even considered going to Master Kenobi. Yet. Anakin would be deeply resentful if he found out, and Obi-Wan had his own set of burdens to deal with now he was on the Council. If the situation didn't improve however, he would be the first person Ahsoka would turn to.

For now, there was no real threat. Anakin never drank so much as to lose control of the Force and his temper. He got irritable, but mostly just melancholy and depressed. The biggest threat he presented was to himself. Ahsoka didn't even want to think about what the alcohol and sugar was doing to Anakin's body.

"Let me help you clean up, then I'll leave" Ahsoka said quietly. She started picking up the wrappers and depositing them in the trash. She gently pried the bottle out of Anakin's hand, expecting resistance but finding none.

"One day, I'm going to kill you, Ahsoka," Anakin said suddenly. "I'm going to take you on a mission and you're going to die. And it will be my fault, because I didn't train you."

"Hey, Skyguy, you've been the best Master I could ask for. I can handle myself."

Anakin started to flex his prosthetic arm, staring pensively at it. "That's what Obi-Wan said about me. I nearly got both of us killed. I was never a model Jedi, I'm no example Padawan…how can I be expected to train you?"

"Jedi aren't perfect. You seem to tease Master Kenobi about his mistakes almost daily."

"The Jedi expect me to be perfect. They expect me to be better! Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan defied the Jedi Council to have me trained, Ahsoka. And for what? There is no balance in the Force. There's more disturbance now, not less!"

Ahsoka pulled a chair up besides Anakin. "I know what the Jedi say about you, Skyguy. About us."

"Ahsoka…I am sorry I dragged you into this. I didn't ask for a Padawan." He sensed her hurt and hurriedly added, "I don't mind having you around I just…you should still be in classes training, not out in the middle of a battlefield with me. I can't be the Master you deserve and everyone knows it."

Ahsoka grabbed his hand. "Why do you listen to them? Master Yoda knew we would make a good team or he wouldn't have assigned me to you. We make a good team. I know people think I'm not cut out to be a Jedi. But they're wrong. I'm going to prove them wrong."

"We are a team of fighters, Ahsoka, the Jedi are more than that. There is so much more I can't teach you. How can I teach you the Jedi Code when I'm always lecture for breaking it!?"

"So what? So we make mistakes. So you're disobedient and I'm reckless. We make a _team. _We trust each other and we learn from each other."

"You're a bit more than reckless, Snips."

"And you say you aren't a proper Master. Keep up that nagging and you'll be just like Master Kenobi."

"I wish."

"Master, I am proud to be called your Padawan. It is worth all the gossip and whispers just to be able to serve with you."

Anakin smiled and said nothing for a few minutes before he gestured to the table in front of him. "I'm sorry about this. Meditation has never been my strong suit…neither is coping with my emotions."

"Keep it up and the tabloids might have to demote your rank of 'sexiest Jedi.'"

"I won't do it again, Snips. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that. You do remember we have to leave in – " she checked her chrono, "–less than seven standard hours?"

"Right. We should get some rest. And I'm going to reconsider letting you stay out so late." Anakin made to stand up and then promptly collapsed forward onto Ahsoka. "Oooh. Might have had a bit too much to drink."

She helped him stagger to his feet. He was hunched over, hands cradling his stomach. Ahsoka put her arm around his waist, letting him lean on her as she guided him into his room.

She couldn't resist. "Want another piece of cake, Skyguy?"

He groaned. "If you mention any sort of food again I am revoking all recreational activities for a month. I don't think I'm ever going to eat again."

Ahsoka merely smiled and helped to hoist Anakin into his bed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He called her back just as she was passing through the door frame.

"Snips?"

"Yeah, Skyguy?"

"It's an honor to train you."

She nodded, her face lighting up. "I wouldn't have anyone else. Goodnight, Master."


End file.
